Why Emile Bernard Prints Cost Less Than Gauguin or Cezanne
The gap in price between Bernard and his famous contemporaries has little to do with the art itself. Here is what actually drives the difference, and what a fair budget looks like.
Emile Bernard prints typically cost between $50 and $400 for well-made framed or canvas reproductions, while comparable Gauguin and Cezanne editions often run $100 to $800 or more. The gap reflects name recognition, not production cost. A Bernard reproduction can match a Gauguin one in paper, ink and framing for roughly half the price.
The market prices fame before skill
Bernard was a central figure in Post-Impressionism. He painted alongside Gauguin in Brittany in the late 1880s, exchanged ideas with van Gogh, and helped develop the Cloisonnist style that shaped modern painting. His historical position is secure. The market still ranks him as a secondary name, and that ranking shows up in every price tag attached to his work.
This matters for the reproduction buyer because print pricing tracks the original market. Gauguin paintings have sold for well over $100 million at auction, and Cezanne's major canvases have reached similar territory. Reproduction editions carry a royalty and a brand considered tied to those headline numbers. Bernard's originals trade in a far lower range, so his editions do too. The materials are identical. The name on the label is what changes.
What the same budget buys
Put the three artists side by side and the pattern is consistent. A large canvas reproduction of a Gauguin Breton scene usually costs more than the equivalent Bernard, sometimes double. Cezanne editions sit somewhere in between, depending on which painting is licensed and how well known it is. Bernard's Breton and still life works are often among the cheapest quality options in the whole movement.
There is a practical upside here. If the goal is a strong late nineteenth century painting on the wall for a modest budget, Bernard offers period-accurate style at a discount. The concession is honest. His compositions are quieter than Gauguin's, his palette less famous, and guests are less likely to recognize the work. That is precisely why the price is lower.
Why the prices diverge
- Gauguin and Cezanne command eight and nine figure results at auction, which lifts every licensed edition of their work
- Bernard's auction record is far shallower, so reproduction licensing costs less
- Print production itself costs roughly the same regardless of artist
- Brand considered, not print quality, accounts for most of the price gap
How to budget without overpaying
For reproductions, decide on size and finish first, then artist. A mid-size framed print runs between $80 and $250 across all three names. A large canvas edition starts around $150 and can pass $500 for the most sought-after Gauguin images. The same Bernard image in the same format usually lands at the lower end of each band.
One caution applies to all three. Original works on paper by Bernard, including woodcuts from his Pont-Aven period, occasionally appear at auction and are a different market entirely. Auvrique sells reproduction editions and does not authenticate or appraise originals. Anyone weighing an original purchase should consult a specialist dealer and expect to pay prices far above anything on this page.
The considered for Gauguin over Bernard buys a famous name, not a better print.
| Artist | Typical print price | Original auction profile | Value note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emile Bernard | $50 to $400 | Low thousands to low six figures | Best value in the movement |
| Paul Gauguin | $100 to $800 | Tens to hundreds of millions | Highest name considered |
| Paul Cezanne | $80 to $600 | Tens to hundreds of millions | Considered varies by image |
Typical reproduction edition pricing, mid-size formats
Key takeaways
- Bernard reproductions generally cost 30 to 50 percent less than comparable Gauguin editions.
- The price gap comes from the originals market, where Gauguin and Cezanne results reach nine figures.
- Print production quality is essentially the same across all three artists.
- Originals, including Bernard's Pont-Aven woodcuts, are a separate market requiring specialist advice.
Related questions
Are Emile Bernard originals also affordable?
More affordable than Gauguin or Cezanne, yes, but not cheap. Paintings and period woodcuts by Bernard trade in the thousands and occasionally into six figures depending on date, condition and provenance. That is a specialist market, separate from the reproduction editions discussed here.
Does a cheaper print mean lower print quality?
No. Reproduction cost is driven mostly by licensing and brand considered, not by ink, paper or framing. A well-made Bernard canvas can match a Gauguin one in every physical respect while costing half as much. Judge the seller's specifications rather than the name.
Is Bernard as important as Gauguin in art history?
He is less famous but genuinely significant. Bernard was a close collaborator of Gauguin in Brittany and an early theorist of Cloisonnism. Recognition lagged after his death, which is one reason his market prices and his print prices remain well below his contemporaries'.
From the Auvrique collection
Made to order · Every size
Every size, every country, delivery included
Editions are made to order and shipped worldwide. Choose a format and a size, and the price you see is the price you pay.
View the collectionGeneral art-historical background drawn from public museum records and standard reference literature. Pricing reflects Auvrique editions and is indicative only.